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When last I posted, it was September 9th, and I was celebrating my anniversary. This blogging thing…it’s so hard right now…hard to find the energy…hard to find the time…hard to find the desire when all I want to do is to stay unplugged on the evenings when I am not lesson planning. I hope you’ll forgive me. My heart is full of so many things, but moving the words out to my fingers just seems to be one thing I cannot do consistently right now.

Seasons of life…just like earth’s seasons…ever changing, eh?

Which brings us to this very fall-ish themed Hodgepodge. Play along by answering on your own blog and linking up with Joyce. Oh, and thanks for visiting! ❤

I’m following a lean eating plan put out by Beach Body, eating a reduced amount of calories each day and watching my portions closely.

I have never been a fan of smoothies, but this one is to die for. It smells and tastes just like a cookie. I leave out the honey and raisins and substitute soy milk for the almond milk to help me get enough calories (yes, I’m having a huge problem getting enough) and protein. Oh, and I grind my oatmeal first (love, love, love my Ninja) and have recently started adding a tablespoon of chia seeds (grinded up with the oatmeal) for protein and fiber.

2. What’s something you’re ‘squirreling away‘ for later?

With this eating plan, I feel like every day, I’m squirreling away portions for later. I get nervous about using them up that I tend to save them for the end of the day, which is probably one reason why I’m not getting enough calories.

Sigh…this fitness thing is tough!

3. How do you like your apples? Sweet? Tart? Crisp? Cooked? Apples are one of the superfoods for fall…how often do you eat an apple either plain or as part of a favorite recipe? What’s your favorite variety?

Lately, I like my apples sweet. Hello Ambrosia apples! Yum! A must is that they are crisp. Rooster and I spent all summer looking for the perfect apple. Most were mushy. It was discouraging.

I prefer to eat my apples in the simplest way possible…peeled and with a bit of natural peanut butter. This has been my go-to mini-meal of late.

4. According to Fodor’s the ten best fall foliage trips in the US of A are-Aspen Colorado, The Catskills New York, The Berkshires Massachusetts, Columbia River Gorge Oregon, Green Mountain Byway Vermont, Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway New Mexico, Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee, Upper Peninsula Michigan, Lake of the Ozarks Missouri, and Glacier National Park Montana. Which would you most like to visit this fall and why?

I’m going to be honest here. I don’t care to take any foliage trips. While I enjoy nature, I don’t actively get out in it for such things as camping, hiking, or whatnot. If I’m going to see the leaves change, I’d prefer that it be while living in Auburn, Alabama. That’s my dream…to retire there soon. Then, I’ll have the pleasure of watching my Tigers play while the leaves turn colors and fall.

5. The topic of legalizing marijuana was raised in the most recent televised political debate so let’s wade in too. Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia currently have laws legalizing marijuana in some form. Four states have legalize marijuana for recreational use. Your thoughts?

I think this is a terrible idea and more evidence of how far our country is sinking in its immoral laws. First, we had the legalization of gay marriage; now it’s this. I’m appalled. I also find it ironic that the “leader” of this country (whatever) is greeting the Pope when he (not the Pope) is pushing for such immoral legislation.

Sorry to get on my soapbox, but I’m so disgusted. I cannot wait for the next big election, and I pray that Conservatives will make their voices heart through their ballots.

6. Are you okay to watch a movie already in progress or do you need to always see it from the beginning? How about jumping into a TV series somewhere in the middle? Is that okay?

I don’t mind movies already in progress, but jumping into a TV series in the middle…oy vey! One gets invested in the story line and characters. How can one get into a series without starting from the beginning?

7. Thursday (September 24) is National Punctuation Day. What rule of punctuation trips you up most often? What rule of punctuation, when broken by someone else, bugs you the most?

Oh, punctuation. How you vex me vicariously through the high school students I teach. I despise grammar mistakes. Right now, my classes are working their way through capitalization rules. I just graded a non-grammar test I gave yesterday. It had short answer responses. What did about half of my kiddos do? They didn’t capitalize the first word of their sentences in their answers. Sigh. It’s like herding cats.

Honestly, most punctuation mistakes drive me nuts.

The one I struggle with often is when to use hyphens in words. I’m forever looking things up to double-check.

8. My Random Thought

Here’s a sneak peek of me…the second day of my third week of my new fitness regimen…

What am I doing?

I’m a quarter of the way through Beach Body’s Piyo program…

It’s very regimented. I’ve been getting up earlier and working out before school. I’ve got a calendar of which video to do on which day (there are more DVDs…more workouts that you don’t see on that screen above).

For the record, yesterday, I was finally able to do Burpees for the first time! Yay!

I’m doing meal prep for long days…

It’s hard work.

Nothing worth having comes easily, eh?

I know one thing. When I reach my personal goal, I’ll be especially proud of myself…especially because this sure as heck isn’t as easy as it might have been ten or fifteen years ago.

Wow that sounds like quite a program. Congrats on sticking with it. New healthy habits are much harder to form and keep in this season. I do wish I’d been more disciplined when I was younger. You’re never too old!